The Caution Game
by royaltiesgambit
Summary: After graduating college, Kagami Taiga goes to Japan to start a new life. However, his home is among a neighborhood filled with gangs, violence, prostitution, drugs and illegal arm sales. He's going to have to stay sharp to stay alive. The first night he's there though, Kagami meets a young detective under cover. What follows could shape the future of Tokyo.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kagami Taiga couldn't tell what was louder: The sound of an airplane's engine rumbling in the background or the sound of his mother fretting anxiously in his ear. Mrs. Kagami had a tendency to become high pitched and screechy whenever she was unnerved. "Now you listen to me Taiga," She said for the twentieth time since the phone call began ten minutes ago. "You're all by yourself in a new country, and I know things will probably be hard. But you have to remember to take proper care of yourself. Don't forget to eat three times a day, and don't overload on the convenience store food. Be sure to brush your teeth and take a shower daily…"

"Mom!" Kagami groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his free hand as he listened to his mother's voice filter through the phone. "I get it, I get it! Jeez, I'm twenty four now! I can take care of myself!" _Not to mention that you've been saying the exact same thing for like, the past ten minutes. _He left the thought unsaid.

"I know that Taiga." His mother calmed down slightly and took a deep breath. "I'm just really worried about you. Will you promise to call at least once a week?"

He almost felt like refusing. Even once a week sounded ridiculous. But then he thought about his mother and how hard this decision must have been for her. It'd been a relatively easy choice for him, to pack his bags and throw them on a plane back to Japan. But his mother couldn't do the same. She had a steady, well paying job in America. She couldn't uproot her life to follow him. And he was rather touched by her enthusiasm. Even if he'd never admit it. "Alright Mom, you got it. Once a week. Hey, I gotta run now. It's almost 11 at night in America, isn't it? I don't want to keep you up any longer."

"Alright Taiga, I'll call you again before I head off to work." His mother said uncertainly. There was a pause. "Oh, Taiga, before I forget! I packed your underwear for you. It's in-!"

"Mom!" Kagami complained, blushing bright red. Even though no one in the airport could hear their conversation, he still felt embarrassment sinking in on his face. "You don't need to tell me that! I'll find it myself!" He glanced around wildly, looking for some excuse to hang up. Suddenly, the airport intercom blared. "Baggage claim for American Airlines Flight 678 is currently going on in Lane 2. Baggage claim for American Airlines Flight 678 is currently going on in Lane 2."

_Thank God._ Kagami thought, breathing a sigh of relief. "Hey, sorry Mom, I gotta run. My bags are waiting for me." Before she could protest or try to drag on the conversation any longer, Kagami pushed the end button and heaved a sigh. He'd been in Tokyo for only half an hour, and his enthusiasm was already being dangerously depleted. He shoved his phone into his carry-on bag before having the first proper look at his surroundings.

Tokyo International Airport was, for lack of better description, huge. Huge and pristine. The floor had been scrubbed to an immaculate shine, and there was hardly a crumb to be found. Not even on the chairs, where so many little kids spilled food while roughhousing around. Shops lined every single inch of the terminals, selling everything from newspapers to souvenirs. A flock of people of all nationalities passed him at that moment, chatting to each other in English, Japanese, and countless other languages that he couldn't name. He hadn't realized until then just how many people there were in the airport that seemed to span endlessly. Feeling slightly overwhelmed, Kagami spun around a few times. _Exactly how the hell am I supposed to find my luggage in this mess?_ As he looked around in confusion, he finally spotted a sign with direction arrows. For a moment, he had no idea what it said. _Dammit, my kanji is horrible. _He then saw the English words 'Baggage Claim' and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Taxi! Hey, taxi!" Kagami sighed as he watched yet another one of the cars hurtle by. It'd taken him two hours to get everything in order, but he was finally standing outside the airport terminal with his suitcases piled up behind him. It was past noon, and even underneath the shade of the terminal awning, Kagami could feel the sun's heat radiating down. It was unbearably hot. He wiped the sweat away from his forehead, hoping that whatever taxi cab he finally managed to hail would have air conditioning in it.

He waved his hand again, and one of the cabs finally braked at his command. The cab driver, a respectable looking man with thick glasses and balding hair, clambered out and wordlessly began to help Kagami with his luggage. Once the suitcases and carry-ons were all settled into the trunk, Kagami ducked down and slipped into the passenger seat of the taxi. He breathed a sigh of relief when a blast of cold air hit him. _Finally, air conditioning._

The driver made sure everything was secure before getting behind the wheel and igniting the engine. For a few moments, they rode in silence. As soon as they were out of the terminal and away from all the other taxies though, the driver shifted his gaze towards his passenger. "Where are you headed?"

Kagami reached into his pocket and pulled out the crumpled slip of paper that had his new address in Akihabara scrawled on it. The driver immediately raised his eyebrows when he heard the location. "You sure about that, kid?"

"Yeah, of course I'm sure." Kagami narrowed his dark red eyes and twisted against his seat belt to look at the driver. "Why?"

The driver shrugged his shoulders while keeping a firm grip on the wheel. "Things have been getting messy around there recently. Some gangs or something of the other have taken over. It's a dangerous place, even for a young man like you. Since you haven't heard about it though, I guess you haven't been here for a while?"

"No, the last time I was in Japan was when I was a kid." Kagami acknowledged, taking in the scenery that was outside the cab window. "How bad is it down there?"

"Well, it's been a constant news topic for the past year or so." The driver swung a left onto a street. "It was pretty bad in the beginning, with all the drug trafficking and violence. But more and more gangs kept showing up there, so it kept getting worse. Now there's like, a murder every week down there. Not to mention all the prostitution and drugs and gambling." He suddenly laughed. "I'm not scaring you off from there, am I?"

"Nah, I'm not that soft," Kagami chuckled. All this talk about gangs was unnerving him slightly, but he figured that it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. He experienced some of the same things in America. Though he'd never been comfortable with the things the people were doing, he'd also grown used to tuning them out. "I've seen my share of that in America."

"Oh, so you've lived in the States!" The man was pleasantly surprised. "What's it like there?"

They slipped into easy banter about America and sports, gangs and violence briefly forgotten. To his surprise, they even started talking about basketball. Apparently his cab driver had been a point guard back in the day before his vision started deteriorating. The two were talking about Japan's national team when the driver suddenly screeched to a stop, throwing both of them forward. Kagami yelped in surprise before looking around, wondering what had caused them to brake so suddenly.

The car was sitting in a small, one way road with a bad cement job. There were visible cracks in the black ground, and dirty patches of moss and weeds were growing freely in the inch wide cracks. The sidewalk was in even worse shape than the road, with visible spots of the cement actually caving in at some points. Each apartment building was a monotone red brick color, identical to its siblings that flanked it on both sides. Vines grew freely on the sides of the buildings, spiraling upwards towards the sky.

In the middle of the drab monotone was a vibrant streak of color. Yellow crime tape was strewn everywhere, flashing off a warning sign to stay clear. The tape wrapped itself around the front door of a building, sectioning off the small staircase. There was something lying on the cement in front of the door and Kagami leaned forward to get a better view.

Just then, the driver rolled down his window to talk to a passing police officer, and Kagami gagged at the sudden rancid and sticky smell that filled the car. Blood. Putrid blood. His stomach churned, catapulting the remnants of his lunch back up his throat. He kept his mouth shut and pinched his nose, trying to keep himself from hurling. Despite all his efforts though, his red eyes remained locked on the scene in front of him with disturbing fascination. He couldn't make out much because of the officers crowding around, but when he leaned in further, Kagami caught a glimpse of a black braid lying limp on the ground amidst a pool of some dark red stain. He knew then where the blood was coming from.

Kagami sagged back into his seat, suddenly feeling defeated and incredibly tired. He'd come to Japan with enthusiasm, but he could feel it leaking away by the second. Beside him, he could hear the cab driver talking with the officer.

"Not another one?"

"Looks like it. Some civilian found her when he was talking a walk this morning. Completely hacked up, limbs and blood all over the place. Feels like a loony with a chainsaw got her. I just don't get it though. This is the third one this month that's died this way."

"Sounds like a bad horror movie."

"I _wish_ it was a movie." The officer sighed, taking a step back to take a few notes on the scene. The driver wound the window back up and slowly eased the car away from the scene. "Sorry you had to see that. But if you're going to live around here, you'll have to get used to it." Kagami's face went slightly ashen when he said that, and the red haired boy turned towards the window just in time to see the name of the road go by on a rickety sign. _Great. So this really is my new neighborhood._

It might have been about five minutes later when the taxi cab screeched to a stop again, this time in front of one of those monotone red brick apartment complexes. The driver turned off the engine and looked at his passenger. "Well, this is the address." Kagami nodded before both men got out of the car and began unloading the luggage.

"Hey! Need any help?"

Kagami looked up and saw a very tall and muscular young man around his age walking out of the building. There was a slight limp in his gait as he made his way towards the street. Having already experienced the horrors of the neighborhood, Kagami wasn't exactly sure what to expect out of this newcomer. But his tension was slightly eased when he noticed the welcoming smile on the other man's face.

"Yeah, sure." Kagami returned the smile before gesturing towards some of the bags. He wasn't sure if the other boy could handle the weight, seeing how weak his leg seemed to be, but the brunette picked up two of the bags without a problem. Still slightly suspicious of the other's intents, Kagami made sure he could see the boy out of the corner of his eye as he turned towards the taxi driver. "Thanks for all your help."

He reached into his wallet and gave the man a proper fee. The man accepted and reached out to shake Kagami's hand. "No problem. Have fun in Japan. Oh, and be careful!" He waved a goodbye before clambering back into his car and suddenly blazing away as fast as he could. Kagami couldn't exactly blame him for wanting to leave the carnage behind.

Kagami then turned back towards his bags and grabbed the remainder of them before walking towards the staircase. The man from earlier was still waiting.

"So I guess you're moving in?"

"Yeah."

"What room number are you?"

"323."

"Oh, I'll help you take your stuff up there then."

The man guided Kagami over to the side of the building where the stairs were. Kagami couldn't help but look at the person who'd volunteered to help him. He seemed friendly enough, and he certainly had a light tone when he spoke. But after what he'd seen…could he really trust this guy?

"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi Teppei. Nice to meet you!" He reached out to shake Kagami's hand, suddenly forgetting that he was carrying a few bags. They dropped to the floor. "Huh?" Kiyoshi stared at them blankly. "Wait, whose bags are those?"

"Mine…" Kagami replied, wondering exactly what was wrong with this guy. He was so overly friendly. And forgetful. _Maybe his knee isn't the only thing that's injured? _

"Huh? Oh, right! Whoops, totally forgot man. My bad." Kiyoshi laughed and rubbed the back of his head before reaching down and picking the bags up. "What's your name?"

"Kagami Taiga. It's nice to meet you, Kiyoshi-san." He wasn't exactly sure if he really meant those words yet.

"Oh, don't be so formal! Just calling me Teppei's fine!" They reached the stairs then, revealing an unsteady, rickety and rusted contraption that visibly rattled when Kiyoshi put his weight onto the first step. Kagami hesitated for a moment. _Is this thing really safe?_

"Kagami-kun, come on! You'll left behind if you wait longer!"

Knowing that Kiyoshi was right, Kagami took a deep breath and placed a foot on the metal step. To his surprise, it didn't cave underneath him. Maybe it wasn't too bad after all. He then moved upwards, one step at a time, careful where he placed his weight. He was too busy concentrating to realize that Kiyoshi had stopped-until Kagami slammed right into his back.

"W-What the hell?" Kagami snapped in surprise, rubbing his face and staring at the boy who was standing on the step in front of him. "Why are we stopping? Is something wrong?"

For a few moments, it seemed like Kiyoshi was in deep thought. "…Sorry, I forgot. What floor are you on?"

_Jesus Christ, this guy's an idiot! _Kagami thought, resisting the urge to facepalm. He took a deep, steadying breath before he replied. "Third."

"Oh, right! Now I remember." _That's because I just told you, you nitwit! _Kiyoshi was cheerful as always as he continued up the stairs. He even started whistling. Kagami followed him, keeping a wary eye on the other boy just in case he forgot again. He found it hard to believe that someone this dense could be living in one of the prefecture's most dangerous sections. _How the heck does he survive out here? _

When they finally arrived outside the door of his new apartment, Kagami's shoulders were screaming in pain and his hand felt ready to cramp. Much to his annoyance, Kiyoshi didn't seem bothered by the weight at all. Or at least, he wasn't showing it. The other man set the bags down in front of the door and announced cheerfully, "Well, here you go Kagami-kun!"

"Thanks." Kagami muttered, reaching into his pocket for the keys. He finally found the small metal contraption and fit it into the lock. Kiyoshi stood there, watching him. Kagami wondered exactly how much longer he was going to stand there. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Kiyoshi opened his mouth to talk. "Hey Kagami-kun, mind if I give a word of advice?"

"What?" Kagami was too distracted trying to get the key to fit into the lock to pay attention.

"You've probably already realized, but this is a dangerous neighborhood." Kagami paused when he realized that Kiyoshi's way of speaking completely changed. His previous lighthearted drawl morphed into a serious and almost cold tone. "Here's a word of advice. No matter what you see, _stay away from it._" He turned away and began walking back towards the staircase. His last words before he began to descend brought a chill down Kagami's spine. "You seem like a good guy Kagami-kun. I'd hate to see you as a body on the street."

_It almost feels like he's threatening me. _Kagami thought, suddenly aware that he was clenching the doorknob with a death grip. He looked down in surprise and saw that his hand was shaking. He'd like to believe it was just a friendly warning, but there was something about Kiyoshi's tone that unnerved him. He let out a long, trembling sigh before twisting the lock and opening the door to his apartment.

He must have fallen asleep while unpacking because when Kagami opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was that the apartment was blanketed in darkness. It had seeped in without his notice, casting an eerie light on all the stacks of boxes that were lying around. His neck was cramping up, and he realized that he'd slept for roughly eight hours without a pillow. Groaning, Kagami sat up on the old leather couch and rubbed his head. On top of his stiff neck and stiff limbs, he also had a terrific headache. It felt like someone had taken a hammer to the inside of his skull and was still ruthlessly pounding. "Damn, that hurts…"

Stupid jetlag must have messed him up. Kagami knew that it wasn't a good idea to still be running on his American time schedule, but it was going to take him a while to get used to the thirteen hour time difference between the two countries. He groaned and got off the couch, stretching as he did so. It took him a few seconds of fumbling around in the darkness to find the lights, but his fingers finally brushed the switch and a bright yellow haze finally bathed the room in a much more welcoming light.

Suddenly aware that his tongue felt like sandpaper and his throat was burning, Kagami walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was pretty much empty save for a few bottles of water and some bags of chips that he'd bought at the airport terminal. He hadn't exactly had time to go out and buy some food. To his surprise, he realized he wasn't hungry either. _Damn, that jetlag really did screw me over. _He took one of the half drunken bottles and popped off the cap, chugging down the rest of the water in a guzzling waterfall of relief. He breathed a sigh of relief as he swallowed, the liquid creating a soothing coating in his mouth. It even reduced his headache. If only just a little.

A few minutes later, Kagami stepped out into the night air and locked his apartment door behind him. The sun had finally set over the prefecture, leaving a slightly more tolerable temperature in its place. The humidity was still lingering in the air like an uninvited guest though, and every breath seemed like a chore. A part of him was apprehensive about roaming the streets at night, but he had noticed a convenience store a few blocks away and decided to go and buy something. He didn't want to wake up in the morning hungry without anything in the fridge.

The metal staircase made visible clanging noises as he jogged down the steps. He passed by a few apartments and spent a second wondering which one belonged to Kiyoshi. Then again, why did it matter? He probably wouldn't be seeing the guy much anyway. And there was also that bone chilling warning. Kagami didn't know exactly what was making him so frightened, but common sense told him to avoid contact with that guy as much as he could.

His foot finally hit solid pavement and he looked around. Darkness was still descending, but there was enough light outside for him to notice a few silhouettes lingering around the apartments on the other side of the street and near the trash cans. They slumped up against the walls, or sat near the curb with their legs dangling outward. One of the men was smoking something. The gray fumes were visible in the dark sky as they danced around in the wind, enjoying a tango before disappearing into the vast expanse of the horizon. Another man was toying with something. Kagami was too far away to see the device, but his gut feeling told him that it might have been a gun or weapon of some sort. _It doesn't matter. I have to stay away. _Even though the temperature was suffocating, Kagami started shivering. Without sparing another look at the people across the street, he began walking quickly towards the store.

When the inviting lights of the convenience store finally came into view, Kagami had already grown used to the sight of seeing people on the streets smoking and doing other illegal activities. It was amazing how quickly someone could adjust to something and accept it as the new normal. He entered the store and began browsing through the aisles to find some sort of food. His mother wouldn't be happy with the fact that her son was choosing fast food over something nutritious, but he didn't exactly have the luxury of travelling to some fancy supermarket this late at night when anything and everything could happen. Best just get something edible and run home before it got even darker.

He was walking through the snack aisle when he suddenly felt himself colliding against something. "Woah!" Kagami yelped, taking a few steps back as he tried to brace himself from the unexpected impact. When his eyes adjusted, he found himself staring down at a young man with pale blue, almost white, hair and oval shaped blue eyes. _Hold on a sec here! I'm pretty sure this guy wasn't here when I first walked in! _The aisle had been completely empty from what he'd remembered. The blue eyes continued staring up at him and after a moment, Kagami began to feel extremely awkward since the other made no move to apologize. In fact, the shorter man seemed completely emotionless. There was nothing in his eyes or his expression that betrayed any sigh of surprise, embarrassment or even annoyance over the fact that he'd just ran right into someone.

"Err…sorry…about that…"

The eyes continued staring at him for a few moments, the emotionless tact still displayed. Finally, the stranger dipped his head and looked away. "No, it's alright." He then focused his attention on some vanilla flavored cake as though nothing had happened. Kagami looked at him for a few more seconds, wondering if there was anything more to be had from this thoroughly awkward conversation. But since the other man looked more preoccupied with snacks than anything else, Kagami decided to turn away and go back to his business. _Seriously, everyone I've met today has been a complete weirdo! What the hell is wrong with this place?_

He was about to leave the aisle and get rid of Mr. Appeared out of Nowhere when a woman walked in from the other end of the aisle. Her brown hair was cut short like a boy's, barely even grazing her chin. She was wearing all black, nothing too show-offy. In fact, the only thing about her that seemed to make a statement was the plainly visible tiger head tattoo inked on her leg right above her knee. "Kuroko?" She called out, scanning the lane full of merchandise. Her eyes completely skipped over the man beside Kagami and flitted over Kagami himself without a second glance. "Kuroko, where are you?"

"Riko-san, I'm right here." Kagami started when the man beside him spoke, turning around slightly to face the girl. Riko almost jumped out of her skin at the sight.

"W-Wait a second! What? When? W-?"

"I've been here for the past five minutes." Kuroko spoke those words with a sort of practiced ease that suggested he had to repeat them frequently. Kagami suddenly understood why the man had barely reacted when he'd been practically run over. It must happen to him so often that he just never bothered with it anymore. Kagami almost felt sorry for him.

"Really?" Riko walked over, still not giving Kagami a single glance. She casually slung her arm over Kuroko's shoulder and looked down at what he held in his hand. "Ugh, not more vanilla flavored crap? Seriously Kuroko, don't you ever get tired of these?"

"No. They taste good."

"Hahaha, whatever you say. Now come on, let's leave. I need to find a good spot to smoke." She began dragging him towards the door.

"But Riko-san, Hyuuga-san told us to come back immediately."

"Screw what that bastard says. If he's got anything against it, he can answer to my fist."

"…I don't think it's a good idea to hit Hyuuga-san."

"Then he shouldn't be arguing in the first place."

"…"

The duo walked out without sparing Kagami another glance, Riko still making lighthearted chatter. Kagami watched them for a few seconds longer. _Is everyone around here so strange?_ There was something really weird about Kuroko that he just couldn't pin down. As for Riko, gut instinct told him that he should never get involved with her. There was something about the way she slunk around dishing out threats that unnerved him. Suddenly not in the mood to stay around in the store any longer, Kagami grabbed a box of sakuramochi and moved to the checkout line. It was only while he was watching the cashier ring up the box that he remembered he didn't even like sakuramochi.

A piercing scream penetrated the air.

Kagami was strolling down the street back towards his apartment when he heard the terrifying noise. It was a petrified keening, long and shrill. It sounded like an animal about to go under the butcher's knife. The sound came again, even louder this time and infinitely more disturbing. Kagami's instinct kicked in before common sense and he started running towards the sound. Part of his mind was yelling at him to stop and reconsider. _What do you think you're doing? Trying to be some hero?_

It was too late to stop though. His feet carried him blindly through the streets towards the sound. He wondered how a human being could make such an animal like noise. What was going on? As he ran through a darkened alleyway filled with the smell of stale cigarettes and other drugs, his sneakers kicked up puddles of water. Or at least, he hoped it was water. He tried his best to not let his imagination wander.

He skidded at the end of the alleyway and was about to turn right towards the sound when he froze completely. Now that his vision wasn't flying all over the place in a desperate attempt to locate the distress signal, he realized where he was: Right in front of his own doorstep. Or rather, a few hundred yards from. But though he wasn't in front of his apartment, someone else was. A few people in fact.

Sitting helpless on the base of the staircase was a young woman, college age at best. Her arms had been bound behind her and there was a dirty rag stuffed into her mouth to keep her from making any more noise. Her shirt had been rolled all the way up, revealing the tender white skin and breasts underneath. Her skirt was pulled down below her knees and there was a man in front of her forcing her legs apart. One of his buddies was fondling with her and the other was standing a few feet away laughing his head off. It was too dark for Kagami to really tell what they were doing, but he had a good idea.

A wave of rage washed over him and for a moment all he saw was red. Bile rushed up his throat and he felt tempted to go walk over and kill the men for doing something so despicable in plain daylight. Before he could even take a single step out of the alleyway, a hand suddenly placed itself on his shoulder.

Kagami recoiled immediately at the touch and was about to scream when another hand wrapped itself around his mouth and stifled him from making any more noises. He struggled wildly, determined to get away from his assailant. A few hundred thoughts flashed through his mind at once, but the most prominent one flashed vividly in his head. _Bite his hand. _He was about ready to when he was abruptly released. He staggered forward, attempting to find his balance amidst taking wild breathes to refill his lungs. When the world finally stopped lurching around and everything fell back into place, Kagami turned to glare at his attacker…and stopped.

A pair of very familiar, oval blue eyes stared back at him from a few inches below. Kuroko's shock of blue-white hair had a stark contrast to the dark black alley around him. The boy stared at Kagami for a few moments before finally saying, "Don't do it."

"Don't do what?" Kagami's mind still wasn't working properly from the sudden assault.

"Don't run out there and try to stop them?"

"Ha?" It suddenly came back to Kagami in a rush of blinding fury and his vision started to turn red-rimmed again as he turned his gaze to find the men. They were still standing at the base of the staircase. Still raping the girl. Still laughing stupidly as though it was the most enjoyable process in the world. He rounded on Kuroko in anger. "You expect me to stand back and watch this happen?!"

"Yes."

The fact that the answer was given in such an emotionless tone angered Kagami even more. "Yes!? But this is wrong! Don't you see this is totally wrong?"

"I do." Kuroko deliberately turned away from the ugly sight. "This is a lawless neighborhood. But there is one rule that everyone follows: No matter what you see, stay away from it." That was the second time today Kagami had heard those words, yet they sounded very different coming out of Kuroko's mouth. When Kiyoshi had said the exact same phrase, it almost sounded like an alarm bell going off and warning him from meddling. Kuroko actually genuinely seemed like he was trying to prevent Kagami from doing something stupid.

What the other boy said next though, really surprised him. "Of course, that is just bullshit. I don't really believe that. And neither should you." A pair of bright blue eyes flickered up towards him. "But if you want to stay alive, conformity might be the smartest path."

The words caused Kagami to step back. He had immediately assumed that Kuroko was one of the gang guys, even though he didn't quite seem like one. Just seeing him with Riko had been enough to put that thought in his mind. "W-Wait just a second. Who are you?" He stuttered out.

"Kuroko Tetsuya, detective with the Japanese police force. Though that last part is meant to be secret."

_Whaa?_

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hey guys, thanks for reading the first chapter of my first ever Kurobasu fanfiction 'The Caution Game'! I apologize for the length but if you guys are patient I promise it'll be worthwhile to keep reading. I do have to caution on one thing though: I update only occassionally. I'm a student with a lot of work on her hands. Fanfiction is something I like doing in my spare time. Which I don't have a lot of. So if you could be patient with me, I'd appreciate it!

Hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and some of these things aren't accurate at all. I've never been to Japan. I don't know how things work. Do take it with a grain of salt?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Kuroko Tetsuya's day had been rather eventful. He'd woken up at the crack of dawn to Izuki-san screaming downstairs about a dead body. At first, he hadn't known whether to take the boy seriously or not. Izuki-san was always trying to create some sort of bad pun, so for all Kuroko knew, the word _shitai_ could have meant a hundred thousand different things in that instant. However, after a good slapping by Riko-san, it was established that this was not an intentional bad joke by Izuki-san and that there was in fact a dead body five blocks down. Hyuuga-san immediately sent Kuroko out to do some reconnaissance. The boy's complete lack of presence was useful in that aspect.

What Hyuuga-san, and all the other members of Seiren, didn't know was that Kuroko was an undercover detective and his interactions with the police were a lot more complicated than what he let out on the surface towards the gang members. He remembered slipping through the streets towards the crime scene, silent as a shadow. When he'd arrived, Kuroko had recoiled at the horrific sight. Blood had been splattered everywhere and the victim was lying in a pool of it. Both her arms and legs had been severed off and were lying limp several inches away from the rest of her corpse. Her unseeing eyes had been turned skyward, a glassy haze masking two windows that once saw the glory of the world. Her mouth had been open, and Kuroko had imagined that she had been desperate and struggling until the end.

An officer that he knew on the most distant of terms had been photographing the body and marking evidence with bright yellow tags. When he finally noticed Kuroko, the two slipped into a private alleyway and talked.

"Tachibana-san, anything?"

"Not yet Detective. But the method of killing is becoming all too familiar."

"You are right about that. Please keep on searching for evidence."

"Understood. If you don't mind me asking, how are things going on your end, Detective?"

"I actually have a good guess as to who committed this crime…"

"Really?! Then why don't you say something or make an arrest?"

"It is all guesswork and inferring, Tachibana-san. 'I suppose' is not proof enough to put someone in chains. I've seen quite a few things and I believe my guess is accurate, but obtaining the evidence is going to be a tricky business."

"I see…"

The matter had been left at that and a few minutes later Kuroko had returned to report back to the others what he'd noticed. Hyuuga-san, ever the sharp leader, immediately came to the same conclusion as Kuroko. An order was put out to remain on high alert, but deep down everyone knew that there wasn't any cause for worry. No one would target any member of Seiren as long as they didn't stick their noses into the business. That was how things worked in the neighborhood: If it wasn't your business, you shut up, you endured, and you looked away.

A little after two in the afternoon, Kuroko had received a text message from Kiyoshi-san: _Got a new neighbor. He's an interesting arrival. _The message had been attached with a picture that Kiyoshi-san had somehow managed to take. Kuroko wasn't sure what to make of the older man. When he first joined Seiren, he had been under the impression that Kiyoshi was nothing but a laughing fool who never took any matter seriously. As the weeks went on though, he'd learned quite a few things about him. Things Kuroko sometimes wished he'd never known.

Now he stood in front of the young man that Kiyoshi-san had labeled 'An interesting arrival'. _Well, he's certainly different in attitude. _Kuroko thought with approval as he watched the man look at the scene a few hundred yards from them in disgust. Kuroko was also angered by the brazen act, but he'd learned that if he didn't want to be discovered, he'd have to play things safe and ignore justice in the meantime.

Except he wasn't exactly playing safe. Somehow, he'd let slip his secret for the other boy to hear. A boy he'd known for approximately five minutes. A pair of dark red eyes gazed at him, baffled and confused.

"W-Wait a second. What?"

"I'm an undercover detective here. Please do not tell anyone though." There wasn't any point denying what had already been said.

"A detective?" The boy blinked a few times. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"I can tell you are new to the area. But I think you have already realized that this neighborhood is very dangerous. For the sake of public safety, all the gangs around here must be arrested and the drugs and arms must be cleared off the streets."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know that. But can't you just arrest them right now? What's up with all the sneaking around and pretending you're one of them?"

"It's not as simple as that. I need concrete evidence. And that is very hard to gather when you are dealing with professionals who know how to cover their traces."

"But can't you go off of guesses?"

"I wish it was that convenient, but no." Kuroko was slightly amused by the other man's constant questioning. "Arresting someone is not as simple as television shows make it look. And the real world hardly places evidence exactly where you need it when you need it." Kuroko was not a fan of detective mysteries and the like. They vastly oversimplified things and made a simple molehill out of the difficult mountain that was truly detective work.

"I-I know that!" The other man stuttered, clearly embarrassed. "But wait, why are you telling me all of this?"

"You have a different attitude than anyone else around here. I can tell you're sincere. And honest." Kuroko replied, the words once again slipping out of his tongue naturally. It was as he spoke that he realized this was the exact reason he had revealed everything to the other man. There was something about those eyes that spoke a kind of passion and goodwill he wasn't used to. "Even though I do not like to admit it, honesty is something that is in serious short supply around here."

"So basically you're telling me because you know I won't spill the beans to anyone?" There was a flash of white as the other man grinned.

Kuroko felt a very small smile setting in on his lips. "Yes. I suppose that is one way to put it."

"Well, I'm glad you regard me like that Kuroko-san,"

"Please, just call me Kuroko."

"Fine, if you insist. I'm glad you regard me like that, Kuroko, but if this place is as bad as you say it is, then why are you out here by yourself?"

"It's to remain discreet. The department cannot just drop a unit of police officers here and hope that it all flies underneath the radar."

"But it's dangerous out here!"

"I started this job knowing the risks. And I _am_ a police officer. We are not without proper defense skills."

There was a silence from the other boy as he leaned against the wall and brooded. _I wonder what he's thinking about._ Kuroko thought, taking the few moments of silence to reach down and make sure that his gun was still secure in its holster underneath his shirt. He almost dropped the weapon though, when he heard the next words that came out of the other man's mouth.

"Do you need help?"

Kuroko looked up, slightly startled. "Huh? Oh no, I am just checking to make sure my gun-!"

"No, I mean do you need help protecting this neighborhood?"

_What did he just offer? _Kuroko blinked, trying to process his thoughts in the stunned silence that followed. He was receiving an offer of help from someone he barely knew. Though he wanted to accept, the common sense part of his brain told him to refuse. It wasn't that he doubted the boy's honesty or willingness to help, but the fact that he was a civilian without proper defense training had its complications. Department policy forbade civilians from getting involved in police affairs.

"I do appreciate the offer, but I have to refuse."

"But why?" The other boy reached out his arms. "It's clear that you can't do this on your own. And if this is a question of my capabilities, I'll have you know my dad's a police officer. I grew up in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America. I know how to handle a gun. I know how to fight properly. You don't have to worry about any of that."

"That is not the problem…" Kuroko hesitated, wondering why he was being so steadfast in refusing. "Department policy requires…"

"Screw department policy!" The boy's outburst caused Kuroko to look up, startled. "It's not like they have to know, right?"

Though Kuroko hated to admit it, the man was right. He could keep it a secret. But for some reason, the white haired boy still couldn't shake off a nagging feeling. He floundered around for some other excuse to keep the civilian from getting involved. "What about work?" He asked lamely, no other idea coming up in his mind.

"I don't have any. I just moved in today." There was a pause. "Hey, you know that I'm going to keep on persisting no matter what you might say, right?"

The unexpected and blunt comment made Kuroko chuckle. "You do seem to be the obstinate type. Alright then, but please be sure to keep yourself safe." He reached out his hand. The other boy grabbed it and shook it firmly, his fingers totally enveloping Kuroko's smaller ones.

"I don't think I introduced myself. Kagami. Kagami Taiga."

"Kuroko Tetsuya. But you know that by now." Kuroko re-introduced himself on reflex before turning around and looking past the bend towards the scene that was still going on right near Kagami's apartment. To his disgust, it didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon. The two men were far too busy fucking the girl to even bother with time. If she was 'entertaining' enough, they could be there until well into the night.

A very small sigh escaped his lips and he turned back to Kagami. "Could you come with me right now?"

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Sure. But why? Where are we going?"

"You ask a lot of questions." Kuroko observed, but he cut Kagami's objections short as he kept on talking. "I am taking you to meet the other members of my gang."

"O-Oh right. I forgot. You're in a gang. Jeez, that's so strange. You just don't seem the gang type. Ah wait! I don't mean anything rude by that! I swear!"

"Don't worry about it." Kuroko began taking a detour down another alley, looking over his shoulder to make sure that Kagami was following him. They walked in silence for about a block before the other boy began talking again.

"So…what am I supposed to do?"

Kuroko took a deep breath. _Here goes nothing. _"Well, if you are going to help me out, you are going to have to become part of Seiren-the gang, I mean."

"Woah woah woah! Hold on a second there!" Kagami's footsteps slowed to a complete stop and Kuroko turned around to look at him. The taller man had a look of confusion in his dark eyes. "Let me get this straight. You want _me_ to become part of a gang? Like, a gang that deals drugs and rapes girls? Like those guys over there?" He gestured in the general direction of the scene that they just walked by.

Kuroko knew that the idea wouldn't blow over well, and he attempted to calm Kagami down by raising his hands to flood the outpouring of surprise that was stemming from the man. "Kagami, I know that is the last thing you want to do. And you have to believe me when I say it was the hardest thing for me as well as a law enforcement officer to constantly break the law every single day. But you must remember this is a part of the job. You volunteered to help me. This is what it means."

"So I'm breaking the law to protect the law?" There was a scoff from Kagami as he turned and kicked off a part of the already loose sidewalk. The cement tumbled off and rolled into the middle of the road.

"I admit the paradox is confusing. But it must be done." Kuroko wasn't good with words. He knew that he probably couldn't convince Kagami or say anything worthwhile past that point. And so he simply turned around and continued walking. He fully expected the other boy to turn around and head in the opposite direction. To his surprise, after a second of hesitation, he heard a faster set of footsteps coming directly after him. _This guy is completely unpredictable. _He felt a smile starting to form on his face at that thought.

They walked in silence for a little longer. When they were roughly fifty meters from the headquarters, Kuroko turned towards his new partner. The next hour or so would be a crucial period. There was no fun and games now. Kagami must have recognized the shift in Kuroko's gaze because the man stiffened slightly and adjusted himself to look taller and more presentable. "Listen to me carefully, Kagami-kun. When we go in there, please let me do most of the talking. Whatever I say, just agree with it and play off of it. We must convince Hyuuga-san that you are a worthy addition to the Seiren team."

He didn't know what kind of answer he was expecting, but Kagami just nodded, his brows furrowed in determination. _Good._ It was going to be much easier since the redhead seemed willing to follow Kuroko's lead. That would be important here. Kuroko could be a very good liar at times, but only if the situation was favored in his direction.

He continued walking and finally ended up right in front of the entrance to the hideout. From the outside, it was simply a three story warehouse that had been abandoned long ago. The outside was disfigured with vulgar messages and termite damage and there were places where the wood seemed almost ready to decay. Parts of the roof visibly sagged. Of course, it was all a part of the deception game the gang played with the police. The inside was far superior, and Riko-san had taken pains to accentuate the building's flaws and make the building seem far worse than it actually was. The plan had worked. Kuroko remembered driving past the building countless numbers of times before working undercover and never taking a single glance at the building or even entertaining the thought it was hiding a notorious gang. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Kagami staring at the warehouse in doubt. It appeared the disguise was useful as always.

Kuroko suddenly noticed a flash of silver and he looked up, noticing something glinting on the rooftop. He knew from months of experience now that it was just Izuki-san, positioned on the roof with his sniper tools. The older man was definitely examining Kagami through the scope, assessing him to see whether he was friend or foe. Kuroko waved, signaling Izuki-san to lower his weapon. Kagami stared at the sight. "You have a resident sniper?"

Ignoring the question, Kuroko walked towards the entrance and eased open the doors, walking inside and making sure Kagami followed. The first room of the warehouse was what appeared to be an unoccupied storage space with no doors and only one window. Another tactic to lure off any investigators. Kagami stuck his head in and looked around in confusion.

"Wait, where is everyone?"

As if to answer his question, there was a sudden rattling noise and three of the wooden panels suddenly swung outwards. It had originally been a door, but the lock and knob had been removed on the outside and the door itself had been carefully disguised to blend in with the other wooden panels. The only way to access the rooms beyond was to open the door from the inside. Kuroko felt Kagami jump behind him in surprise. Kuroko was about to turn around and reassure him when he heard his name being called out.

"Oh Kuroko, you're back!" Kiyoshi stuck his head out the door and gave a friendly wave. The minute he saw the person behind the white haired boy though, his eyes widened. "Woah! So Kagami-kun's the visitor that Izuki was blabbing about?"

Kuroko turned to look at Kagami, whose face told the entire story. The redhead looked like he'd just seen a cat with three heads. His eyes were the size of saucers and his entire body had gone slack from shock. His mouth, hanging useless, tried to form a coherent sentence. "W-W-Wait, w-what the h-hell i-is this guy doing h-here?"

Realizing that the situation was rapidly spinning out of control, Kuroko was fumbling in his mind to find the right words to amend the situation when he suddenly heard a voice that caused him to inwardly groan and take a step backwards.

"Kiyoshi, move your ass." The door opened further as Kiyoshi eased out of the way to reveal a shorter man with a shock of black hair. Hyuuga Junpei narrowed his eyes, the dark scar running down his face clearly visible as he stared down the new arrival. A glimpse of silver flashed across the room as he took a step closer to Kagami, arm raised to reveal the cocked and loaded gun in his hand. He pointed the barrel directly at the redhead's chest and placed his index finger on the trigger.

"Kuroko, who the hell is this?" There was a stunned silence as everyone stared at the gun. Hyuuga's uninjured eye twitched in annoyance at the lack of response. "Kuroko, you have three seconds to tell me who this guy is before I splatter his guts on the ground!"

**Author's Note: **Shittily written filler chapter to kickstart some action. I know this isn't great quality, but I wrote this under pressured time constraints. I think Kuroko talks way too much in this. And yeah, Hyuuga's a pissed off asshole right now.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_What the fuck is going on!? _Kagami had no idea what was happening. In the last hour alone, he'd been nearly strangled in an alleyway, persuaded by a detective to join a gang, and almost shot at by a rooftop sniper. To add the icing to the ridiculous cake, his neighbor was now apparently a part of the gang that he was being convinced to join. Kiyoshi, a gang member? Never in a million years would Kagami have dreamt up that scenario.

Now he was standing no more than a meter away from a glistening gun barrel that was about to spit out a lead bullet. He raised his hands in a weak gesture of surrender, taking a step back and keeping his eyes firmly on the man in front of him. This was definitely the 'Hyuuga-san' that Kuroko kept mentioning and that girl Riko had been complaining about in the store.

He didn't exactly appear to be the most intimidating person. He wasn't too tall in height. Neither was he stocky in build. Kagami had seen men who looked twice as threatening prowling the streets of America. The only thing about this Hyuuga that gave Kagami pause was his eyes. His left eye was visibly disfigured by a prominent scar stretching vertically from his forehead all the way down to his chin. But it wasn't just the scarring that scared Kagami. There was a sort of hard, determined light in Hyuuga's eyes that made Kagami believe that the man would have absolutely no qualms of applying a bit of pressure to his index finger and sending Kagami on a one way trip to death's door.

_Shit, this is bad. Kuroko, say something here! _Kagami's eyes darted to the other boy for a second, willing him to step in for the rescue. The white haired boy paused for a moment before finally saying in his usual, flat monotone. "He's a friend, Hyuuga-san."

"A friend?" Hyuuga raised his right eyebrow and looked at Kuroko, still leveling the gun at Kagami's head. "And why are you bringing a 'friend' here, Kuroko?"

"He says he wants to join us." Kuroko spoke with a sort of confidence that caused Kagami to look at him in surprise. He couldn't tell if the assurance was faked or genuine.

"Hmph, really now. And how do I know he's not just going to go tattle to the police the minute we let him out of here?"

"Hyuuga-san, do you not trust me?"

"It's not a question of trust, Kuroko. Human nature has a bad habit of doing the exact opposite of what you want it to."

There was a brief moment of silence after that statement. Kagami didn't know if Kuroko was quiet because he was reflecting on Hyuuga's statement, or because he really didn't know what to say next in Kagami's defense. Finally though, the boy's mouth opened again. "I can vouch for his honesty, Hyuuga-san."

"I agree with Kuroko, Hyuuga." Everyone started when Kiyoshi finally spoke. The brunette had been standing quietly off to the side listening in on the conversation, but now he seemed determined to take part. "I think he's a pretty honest guy."

"Tch, am I supposed to trust _your_ opinion, Kiyoshi?" Hyuuga scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"Aw, I'm offended! Why shouldn't you?"

"Because it's common sense to doubt the person you hate most." Hyuuga shot back. "And Kuroko, I already said; it's not like I don't trust you, but you're not living in this guys' head." He glared at the younger boy for a moment before focusing his full attention on Kagami again. "You!" He barked, narrowing his eyes. "You better convince me right now why I shouldn't blow your brains against the wall."

Kagami's mind was running at a thousand miles a second. _Think, dude, think! _Hyuuga wasn't bluffing. In a few seconds, he could be reduced to nothing more than a few blood splatters decorating the warehouse floor. His gaze darted around wildly-and suddenly noticed the gun holster strapped to Kuroko's waist, dangling only a few inches in front of him.

Survival instinct kicked in, and in a fluid single motion he reached out and yanked the gun out from the holster. He hadn't handled a gun in years. Was convinced that he couldn't even hold it properly. But in the heat of the moment, somehow everything clicked. It was his sub-consciousness that slipped his fingers into position and hefted his hands right in front of him. Before he could blink twice or even make sense of what he was doing, Kagami found himself pointing a gun directly back at Hyuuga.

"You know," His voice sounded foreign and muted underneath the quickening beats of his pounding heart. "I'm not sure how good you are with a gun, _Hyuuga-san_, but I don't think you grew up on a shooting range." Bluffing and stalling was the only thing he could think of.

Through his peripheral vision, Kagami could see Kuroko and Kiyoshi staring at him in shock. Judging from their reactions, he hadn't made the right move. _Uh oh. _He couldn't go back now though. He refused to let any emotions betray on his face as he turned his focus back to Hyuuga. The other boy had lowered his gun only slightly to glare at Kagami. For a few moments, they held each other's gaze, Kagami growing more anxious with every second.

Finally, to everyone's surprise, Hyuuga lowered the handgun. And then to Kagami's absolute astonishment, he started laughing softly. "Well, you definitely have the intimidation factor down." He remarked, pocketing the gun and turning towards Kuroko and Kiyoshi. "Where the hell is Riko?"

"I don't know. I think she might be outside smoking." Kiyoshi shrugged.

"Dammit, that girl is wasting our precious stock!" Hyuuga cursed. "Go get her now!"

"Sure. But why?"

"Tell her that she needs to give newbie his orientation." The black haired leader jerked his thumb towards Kagami before turning back towards the redhead and giving him one last quick sweep. "If I see you acting up in any way, I'm tossing you back out on the street. And you better live up to your marksman bragging!" He shoved past Kiyoshi and stomped back into the room that lay behind the door, swinging it shut behind him.

"Well, I better go get Riko before Hyuuga-kun starts ranting again." Kiyoshi whistled cheerfully as he made his way towards the door. When he passed by Kagami, he reached out and slapped the boy on the shoulder. "Congrats on not getting slaughtered man. I'd hate to be cleaning up your blood for the next three days. That mess we had a few months ago? Whew! Those stains didn't come off for a week!"

_Is this guy serious? _Kagami wondered, stiffening a bit as Kiyoshi gave him another friendly pat before wandering out of the warehouse. He shook his head in disbelief, some part of his mind still not quite believing that one of the silliest guys he'd ever met was a member of a dangerous gang. "Kuroko…what the heck is that guy's deal?"

Kuroko only shrugged in response. "Kiyoshi-san is a little unique." He then held out his hand. Kagami stared at it blankly before he realized that he was still holding Kuroko's gun.

"Oh, shit, sorry. I forgot about it." He muttered an apology as he handed the weapon back. As the gun exchanged hands, Kagami felt obligated to show the other man some gratitude. "Hey…Kuroko. Thanks. For helping me out back there."

"You did it yourself, Kagami-kun. You convinced Hyuuga-san to let you stay."

"To be honest, I still have no idea how I managed to do that." Kagami admitted ruefully, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head in wonder. _Tonight would be an appropriate time for some deep soul searching. _The sarcastic thought rang through his mind. He really had no idea what had possessed him in the past few minutes. He hadn't touched a gun in years. Not since his father passed away. And yet he'd somehow feigned enough confidence to impress a gang leader. _God, there's an awful lot I don't know about myself. _

"It seems like you really have no idea what you are capable of, Kagami-kun." Kuroko's newest remark startled Kagami. The fact that the detective had basically repeated his thoughts disturbed him. It was almost like the other man knew exactly what he was thinking. That wasn't possible though, right? He must have been wearing an expression of complete astonishment because Kuroko gave a very small smile, almost unnoticeable, before saying, "I tend to be good at guessing a person's thoughts."

Kagami stared at the detective with a sort of newfound fascination. Kuroko was, in a very strange way, completely unique, an outlier of outliers. Kagami had met hundreds of people in high school and college, people with their own individualistic views and different colors. People who would have been labeled 'unique'. But Kagami realized that the label 'unique' was too overused, too much of a mundane term. And he was positive that no one could ever possibly know the true definition of the word until they met Kuroko. He watched as the white haired boy began tucking the gun back into its holster. Kagami had never seen anyone like him. Quiet enough to be effectively invisible, confident enough to believe he could succeed on an almost impossible mission, and observant enough to make a connection with someone he'd known for barely an hour. Granted, the other man hadn't betrayed a single emotion until now. But just seeing that one very small smile was enough.

His thoughts were intruded on at that moment by the sound of the warehouse door banging open.

"Where the hell's the newbie?" A girl's voice demanded. Kagami turned around and found himself standing about ten feet away from the girl he'd met in the convenience store. Had that really been only an hour or so ago? It felt like millennia had passed since then. Maybe it was only because he was now being forced to look at her in a different light-not as a civilian staring at a gang member, but a gang member staring at one of his own. He had to keep up this mentality if he was going to convince anyone, including himself, that he was serious and not just an under cover civilian helping an under cover detective.

"Uh, that would be me." He raised a hand awkwardly. Riko's gaze swung over and her eyes narrowed. "Hey, you're that dude I saw in the store earlier!" She walked towards him, arms folded. "Kuroko, why didn't you tell me that you knew this guy? We could have brought him back with us then."

_Oh shit! _Kagami had all but forgotten about how she'd seen him and Kuroko standing together in the store. Of course, they didn't even know each other's names back then. But Riko couldn't know that. His mind floundered about for an answer-

"I wanted to give him time to think it over." Kuroko's response came as quick as lightening, and Kagami breathed a sigh of relief. Once again, he'd been saved by his new friend. He really needed to find some way to thank the guy later.

Riko tilted her head to the side and looked him over. "Okaay, fine then. But if he's your friend Kuroko, why haven't I seen him around before?"

_Dammit, she's good. _Kagami suddenly understood why Hyuuga had ordered Riko to come back. Unlike her black haired leader, Riko was very thorough with her questioning. And it seemed, infinitely more astute. She seemed to buy Kuroko's answer, but she was clearly still on the fence.

This time, he found his own answer before Kuroko could jump in. "I only moved in here today. Kiyoshi-san can tell you that. I'm his neighbor." He gestured towards the tall brunette who was still standing by the doorway, looking out as the last rays of the sun died into the horizon. He'd clearly overhead Kagami though, because when Riko turned for confirmation, he nodded. "Yep. New neighbor."

Too bad Kiyoshi didn't know that he was only helping to weave the web of lies that Kuroko and Kagami were creating. Riko arched an eyebrow, realizing that two of the most trusted members of the gang were unanimous in their stories. "Fine, I believe you. Where'd you come from?"

"America." The truth slipped out from his tongue before he could stop it. _Damn! I should have said something more believable! Like Kanagawa or something! _

"America?" Riko's eyebrows were now literally flying off her head from how raised they were. "Really now? Kuroko, how do you know someone from America?"

"I paid a visit to New York City a few years ago." Kuroko was quick thinking as always. What made Kagami glance in his direction though was the fact that this time it sounded like the detective was telling the truth, not just a fabricated lie made on the spur of the moment. Even though he couldn't detect much from Kuroko's deadpan monotone, he heard just the slightest inflection that told him the other boy was definitely telling the truth. And then he heard Kuroko's next few words.

"I was sitting in a Starbucks when Kagami-kun walked in."

_WAITJUSTAGODDAMNSECOND. _Had he heard correctly? Did Kuroko really say that he'd met Kagami before? The redhead shook his head, thinking that he must have misinterpreted Kuroko's words and that the boy was just making up another lie. There was no way that he could have met Kuroko before this evening. He would have noticed someone that unique.

No wait. No he wouldn't have. His memory flashed back to the moment in the store, when he first encountered Kuroko. He hadn't been looking for anyone particular in that moment and he'd almost run right over the detective. If he couldn't notice Kuroko when the two were alone in a narrow store aisle, how could he have seen the other man in a crowded Starbucks in New York City, where there were enough distractions to prevent Kagami from finding even his best friend in the crazed crowd?

Still shocked from the statement, Kagami hadn't heard the rest of Kuroko's explanation. The detective must have done a convincing job though. For Riko finally sighed, unfolded her arms, and grinned apologetically towards Kagami. "Sorry uh…can I call you Kagami-kun?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah, sure."

"Well, Kagami-kun, I just had to make sure that you weren't some random stranger about to report us to the police. Sorry for the trouble."

"No problem…" Kagami wasn't really sure what he was saying. He was still reeling from Kuroko's stunning declaration earlier. _Did I really know this guy before? _It was the only thought that was weaving around in his mind.

Riko though, didn't seem ready to leave him alone to his troubled thoughts. She suddenly shouted something that took Kagami a moment to comprehend.

"Take off your shirt!"

"What!?" Kagami blinked twice, thinking that maybe his thoughts were confusing his interpretation of other people's speech.

"What do you have in your ears? Excessive stupidity? I told you to take off your shirt!"

He hesitated for several seconds before glancing over at Kuroko for confirmation. The other boy nodded and Kagami reached out and pulled his shirt over his head, slinging the fabric over his right shoulder. Riko stared at him for a few moments, eyes narrowing and widening as though she was processing some sort of information. Kagami watched her for a second, his curiosity boiling. "Hey…what are you doing?"

"Riko's analyzing you." Kagami jerked his head towards the left, startled by Hyuuga's voice. Seiren's leader stood in the doorway again, leaning against the wooden frame. There was a smirk on his face as he watched. "She's pretty good at deciphering a person's physical ability just from looking at their build. So we're about to figure out whether you're as good a shot as you seem. Riko? …Hey…Riko?" Hyuuga's smirk seemed to clatter off his face as he looked at his friend. Kagami turned back towards her as well. And found Riko staring at his chest in stunned amazement.

"I uh…I think the light is affecting me. There's no possible way your stats can be this high." Riko muttered, rubbing her left eye and then squinting again. "No…no, this can't be possible. Kagami-kun, how long have you been handling guns?"

"I'm not sure. As long as I remember. I think my dad first took me to a shooting range when I was four."

"Do you play any sports?"

"Well, I was power forward for my basketball team during both high school and college. I also did a lot of weight lifting and baseball during my free time."

Riko heaved a sigh after hearing that. She then turned towards Hyuuga. "He's got some of the strongest muscles I've ever seen. He might be stronger than either you or Kiyoshi."

There was a stunned silence in the warehouse. Hyuuga and Kiyoshi gave each other a look whose meaning wasn't clear to anyone except the two of them. Riko looked torn between doubt and excitement, as though she was fighting against false hopes. Kuroko, as usual, betrayed no emotion besides shifting slightly from one foot to another.

Kagami looked at everyone, hoping to find some sort of answer in their faces. What was reciprocated back to him proved to be absolutely no help. He decided that it might be a good time to put his shirt back on, and slid the fabric over his chest. But not before he spread out his arms and looked at himself. He didn't see anything that he normally didn't find. What was so special? _Maybe Riko's just crazy. All that pot might be going to her head. _

As Kagami tugged the white fabric back over his head, Riko heaved another long sigh and rubbed her temples. "Oh whatever, it doesn't matter. And it's not like we couldn't use a strong guy in this place. Come on, I'll go show you around and introduce you to everyone."

As though her words were some sort of magical command, the door behind Hyuuga eased open and a few more men walked out. Kagami nodded to each, noting that one of them was carrying a sniper's rifle across his back. Riko rolled her eyes at their entrance but started talking anyway.

"Well, you already know Kuroko. He's our newest member, joined us about a year back. Since you two know each other well, you'll be paired together next time we have to make a delivery or something."

"Anyway, that dunce over there is Kiyoshi Teppei. Except sometimes he can be downright brilliant. He's just a smartass trying to be dumb. Or a dumbass trying to be smart. I really can't tell which anymore."

"That guy leaning in the doorway is our beloved leader, Hyuuga Junpei. Don't be fooled by his glasses. He's actually stupid."

"This here's Izuki Shun." Riko walked over to the man with the sniper rifle and patted him on the shoulder. "He's got vision like an eagle's. Shooting things is all he's good at. Don't ever laugh at his jokes. They're horrible. "

"Over here is Mitobe Rinnosuke. No one has ever heard him say a word before. This guy here is Koganei Shinji. He can do anything, but can't do anything. This is Tsuchida Satoshi. He actually has a girlfriend."

"And I'm Aida Riko, the only girl among this bunch of idiotic men. I'm in charge of everything that Hyuuga doesn't want to bother his ass with." She paused then, and looked around. "…Well, I guess that's all of us. So tell us a bit about yourself, Kagami-kun!"

Kagami couldn't remember exactly what he said. All he knew was that his mouth opened and closed for a few minutes while everyone listened in. He made up a few things too, changing his father from a police officer into an arm's dealer. He didn't want anyone thinking that he would be influenced by justice. He said a few other things too, embellishing himself to seem more qualified. When it was all over, he felt himself being dragged upstairs by Izuki, who insisted on showing him around. He only half listened to what the other man was saying. His mind was busy trying to process all the names and faces that he'd learned. _I'm officially a member of a gang. _The thought kept on turning itself over and over in his mind. For some reason, it didn't really sink in. He hadn't known what he'd been expecting when he'd followed Kuroko into the seemingly abandoned warehouse. It certainly wasn't this though. In his mind, he'd always pictured gangs to be some sort of feared entity whose members did things like murder and rape. And though he was rather disgusted with the fact that Seiren openly admitted they dealt with drug trafficking, he had a hard time associating these men with the feral, despicable creatures he'd seen raping the college girl. It was like there were two different sides to the world of the gangs. He didn't want to call the one side 'honorable', but the members of Seiren were definitely a far cry from what he'd been expecting. Hyuuga might have held a gun to his head, and Riko might have been aggressive with her questioning, but Kagami realized now that they were simply doing it to protect the other members. There was a sort of bond between everyone that almost felt like an intimate family relationship. It surprised Kagami, and completely made him redraw his perception of what these strange men who roamed the streets at night were like.

He wondered whether Kuroko saw this too. If the detective could realize that there was something distinctly different and almost friendly about this one gang in particular. And whether that would change their mission at all. Kagami looked down at his sleeve then, seeing the hand that was pulling him along the hallways of the warehouse. He stared at Izuki's back for a moment, knowing that the older man didn't suspect a thing. He almost felt a pang of guilt, knowing that he wasn't here as a gang member but rather as an under cover civilian helping out a detective. It almost felt wrong, going in here and destroying the livelihoods of these people. Except he couldn't let those emotions run free. If he was going to help Kuroko like he'd promised, he'd have to ignore the compassionate part of his mind for now. It was wrong to humanize crime and evil. And despite what he thought of as the more 'honorable' part of crime, he knew there was no right or wrong to breaking the law. It was either you did it, or you didn't. There was no gray area to mess around in.

So he shoved a gigantic lid on his thoughts. And refused to allow them to escape.

"Well, that's everything Kagami-kun!" Izuki declared, releasing Kagami into the night air after he'd spent roughly an hour showing the redhead around. "We'll see you bright and early tomorrow!"

Kagami raised his hand and waved. Kiyoshi, who'd been standing near the doorway, came up and suggested that they both walk back to the apartments together. He agreed without thinking twice and the two began strolling up the street. Kiyoshi began talking about what they did in the gang. Kagami paid only the slightest bit of attention, giving a grunt now and then to show he was listening.

As they passed by the warehouse, Kagami saw a flash of blue-white hair in one of the windows. He was here to help Kuroko. He was here to make the streets safer and clean up all the blood that had been needlessly spilled. He was here to guarantee that no more lives would have to suffer because of what human nature sometimes did. He glanced towards Kiyoshi and wondered: If the time came and he found Kiyoshi committing a crime, could he think of the other man as a criminal and not as someone he knew? Kagami didn't know the answer.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Early update guys! I was playing basketball with a friend and couldn't stop thinking about this, so I spent a few hours writing this instead of doing Moot Court stuff.

So, this is the last of the introduction chapters. Once Chapter 4 starts, expect all the other GoM players to be introduced at some point. Things are going to be picking up from here. As you can see, I parodied one of the scenes from the actual manga in here. I will probably be doing this quite often, just for kicks.

I see that some of you are curious as to how I came up with this idea. Well, the gang concept came when I was rewatching all the episodes of Durarara. I thought that it wouldn't be too hard to convert basketball teams to gangs. I was going to write the story just like that, but about a day later, the music video for B.A.P's One Shot came out. (Awesome song by the way) The minute I saw that video, I realized exactly what I had to do. And so, The Caution Game was born.

Thanks for reading guys!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Did you hear? Seiren got themselves a new guy a few days ago."

"Huh? Oh yeah, I heard about that. What's he like?"

"No idea. I haven't even seen the guy's face."

"Think we oughta be worried?"

"Pfft, no way man. Seiren's just a bunch of small fry. One guy isn't going to flip the tables."

The man standing in the dimly lit passage halted when he heard the conversation leaking through the open door at the far right end of the hall. _Seiren? Isn't that…_Curious, he moved closer to the voices, ducking his head in.

His vision was instantly blurred by the hazy smoke that clouded the entire room. It had a sharp and pungent smell to it. Almost like cinnamon. The scent assaulted his nostrils, taking over his senses like a slap to the face, and he cringed. He had never been a smoker, but the entire room was filled with men inhaling some sort of substance. The smoke poured from the various collections of cigars and pipes, pressed against the mouths of their users. The conversation came from two of the men, sprawled across a leather couch with a tiger skin draped across the back. They were making easy banter of the conversation, clearly not taking the topic seriously.

_Ah, maybe they're right. But it still annoys me that people make such easy assumptions. _He thought, heaving a sigh. He instantly regretted doing so, as a new wave of smoke shot up his nose and caused him to double over coughing. The noise caused everyone to turn and stare at him. He groaned inwardly. _Haha, this is the worst way to attract attention. _

"Hey, Kise!"

He pinched his nose and looked up when he heard his name being called. One of the two men who were holding the conversation nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Good thing you're back. Boss been looking for you."

"Eh? Kasamatsu-senpai? What does he want me for?"

The man shrugged. "I dunno. He didn't say. But he sure looked pissed. Maybe you better go see him right now."

_I wonder what's going on_. Kise thanked the man, turned around and exited the room, still pinching his nose. Once the door was shut behind him, he sighed in relief and slumped against the wall. He inhaled, taking in his first full breath of fresh, clean air, untainted by toxins, in over two minutes. _God, I hate smoking and drugs. _He knew that the rest of Kaijou didn't share the same view. Kise never dabbled in that kind of stuff. It was too damaging to the skin. There was no way he was about to give himself wrinkles. Not if he could help it.

He stood there for a while longer, trying to rid his lungs of the poison. Then remembering that Kasamatsu was waiting for him, he straightened and walked back down the hall the way he came and climbed up a rickety flight of stairs to the next floor. He wondered what the reason was for the sudden summoning. Kasamatsu almost never called anyone up to his office, especially not Kise. _Have I done something wrong? _The logical conclusion of maybe having messed up on something hit him. But he couldn't think of anything. As far as he knew, his conscience was clear. He'd done nothing in the past few days to incur Kasamatsu's wrath. Or at least, nothing he could think of.

When he reached the top of the flight of stairs and saw the worn oak door with the peeling red paint in front of him, he hesitated. For a moment, his mind entertained the ludicrous idea that the door was soaked in blood. It almost looked that way though, in the dim lighting with the crumbling paint and visible dark red smears.

Kise steeled his nerves, took a deep breath, and raised his hand. He knocked twice.

"Come in!"

Kasamatsu's gruff voice filtered through the door's cracks. Kise twisted the handle and opened the door. Inside, the office was filled with nothing but a few bookshelves with worthless novels piled on them, a wooden chair for visitors, a large oak desk, and Kasamatsu's own black leather chair sitting behind the desk. The black haired man himself sat with his back leaning into the seat, feet propped up on the desk's shiny surface, arms folded. A pair of dark stormy blue eyes peered at him from beneath two very bushy eyebrows.

"Where the hell were you?"

"Ehh~?" Kise tilted his head to the side. "I come all this way to see you senpai, but you just ask me weird questions?"

"Shut up! And whadya mean 'all this way'? I'm right up the stairs, goddammit! Where the hell were you earlier when I was looking for you?"

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about." Kise blinked his golden eyes innocently, putting a beaming smile on his lips.

"Don't think you can fool me with your pretty face, Kise! Where'd those bags come from?"

"Huh?" Kise suddenly looked down and noticed the shopping bags that were hanging from his wrists. He'd all but forgotten. "Urk!" _Darn, I've been found out! _"Ha…Aha…hahaha! Looks like I've been caught!" He laughed, rubbing the back of his head in an embarrassed fashion. "I was just out shopping in Ginza!"

"Shopping? In Ginza? What are you, some high schooler?" Kasamatsu scoffed, crossing his arms even more tightly against his chest and looking away, a strange sort of expression on his face. Kise had never been quite able to describe the looks that Kasamatsu threw him whenever the blonde's antics were revealed, but the closest thing to describe it was probably 'affectionate disgust'. As much of an oxymoron as it sounded, it was the only label that seemed fitting for the faces that the older man always made.

"Ehh, what's wrong with shopping in Ginza?" Kise asked, moving closer and plopping the bags onto the table. "You haven't even seen what I bought! Look, senpai!" He reached in and began pulling out the articles of clothing.

"Hey! Hey, wait just a goddamn second! I never said you could use this desk!" Kasamatsu protested in a panic, watching as shirt after shirt were being pulled from the bags. They all looked ridiculously expensive. He flinched when Kise suddenly flaunted out a graphic t-shirt with only one sleeve and shoved it in front of his face.

"Senpai, don't you think this is cool?"

"W-What the-! Where the hell would you even wear that thing?" He snapped, staring at it. "It looks like a clown's worst nightmare!"

"Fashion, senpai! It's called fashion!" Kise complained through pouted lips, waving his arms frantically about. "And I tried it on! It looks really cool! Can I show you?"

"N-N-NO!" The older man's outburst caused Kise to take a step back. Kasamatsu was looking rather agitated, swinging his legs off the desk and standing up, pacing around. The man's words came out in an angered rush. "T-This isn't some sort of runway, Kise! Have? Your modeling days are over! You're working here now! In my gang! So stop acting like you're still being plastered onto fashion magazines!"

There was a stunned silence in the room after that. Kise stared at Kasamatsu, his vision flickering on and off as his eyes blinked rapidly. _Am I…really acting like that? _His modeling days were over now, but that didn't mean his love for clothes had diminished in the slightest. Was it wrong for him to go out on weekends to enjoy himself? Was that coming off as being conceited and spoiled? Was that displeasing the other members of Kaijou?

Kasamatsu suddenly heaved a gusty sigh. "Sorry. I should apologize." He fell back into his chair and resumed his former position of propping his feet back up on the desk. "I know you're committed to this gang, and I know you're working harder than anyone else. But sometimes…sometimes it feels like you don't have your priorities straight. I'm not asking you to work harder than you already are. I'm not even going to tell you to stop going to Ginza or Harajuku or wherever the hell it is idiots like you flock to. But can you try to be a bit more serious?"

Kise stared at his boss for a few moments, mouth closing and opening as he tried to find some words with the useless mechanism. Maybe he really had been slacking off lately. A reprimanding could have been exactly what he needed to get back in line. A smile started tugging at his lips and he finally started to laugh again. "Yeah, you're right. I promise not to do it again. But Kasamatsu-senpai, if you're not here to admire me in my new clothing, what _do_ you want me for?"

The tiny spark of amusement that was in Kasamatsu's stormy eyes flickered out and he leaned in closer. "Listen here, Kise. I need you to go over to Seiren for me."

"S-Seiren? As in Kurokocchi's gang?" Kise's eyes widened in surprise. "Why do you want me to go there?"

"First off, stop calling him that. It's annoying. Second off, listen closely…"

The abandoned warehouse was looking, well, abandoned. Kise still had a hard time believing that the crumbling framework harbored the headquarters of a gang behind its disheveled walls. He had to admit though, that it was a clever tactic to keep prying eyes away. After all, who wanted to stick their head into an 'abandoned' warehouse?

_Definitely not me. _Kise thought, shutting off the engine of his blue motorcycle and staring at the building with a mixture of distaste and apprehension. He could tell that even during its prime, the warehouse had probably not been the most aesthetically pleasing of buildings. _Why the hell did I come all the way here again? _Oh right, Kasamatsu's orders. Well, if it was for the Boss, Kise would risk dirtying his Chanel boots a bit.

Though the building appeared unguarded, Kise knew far better than to assume there weren't eyes watching him. He wasn't a naïve child. He clambered off of his motorcycle and approached the place cautiously, hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace. _Maybe I should have brought a white flag while I was at it. _The dry joke fell short even in his own mind. This was no laughing matter. He was in the heart of enemy territory, roughly thirty yards from the main base. If he appeared to be even slightly threatening, he'd have a bullet buried in his chest in no time. Like the rest of the Kaijou members, Kise didn't believe Seiren was necessarily strong. But he knew just how desperate and vicious a beast could be-especially when cornered.

The world was silent for a while as Kise stood outside the doors, too cautious to move any further but too determined in his mission to turn around and walk back. His amber eyes darted around, searching for any signs of movement. A bird called in the sky. A nearby tree rustled its leaves. A man slammed a car door in the distance.

Other than that, it was quiet. Too quiet.

"Hello, Kise-kun,"

A voice suddenly sounded itself from near Kise's left elbow and he yelped, instinctively taking a step back and looking down. A pair of oval, emotionless blue eyes stared back at him. Along with an aimed gun barrel.

"K-Kurokocchi!" Kise heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the white haired man. "You scared me! Why didn't you say hello earlier?" Actually, the better question was: how long had he been there? Kise had a nagging feeling that the other man had been standing there the entire time with his weapon raised, but his presence had been completely missed with the wide open surroundings.

"Kise-kun, you are technically my enemy right now." Kuroko leveled the gun so that it was pointed directly at Kise's heart. "Please tell me why you are here."

Realizing that his friend was all business, Kise reached over and covered the gun barrel with the palm of his hand. _Steady now Kise. If you don't do this right, you might just get killed. _He smiled and said in as even a voice as he could muster, "Don't worry Kurokocchi. You won't need the gun. I just want to talk to your boss."

"To Hyuuga-san? Why do you want to talk to Hyuuga-san?"

"If you let me through, you'll know." Kise replied, still keeping a tight grip on the gun. He felt Kuroko looking him over, trying to find traces of menace, a slight hint of intention. Kise reached over and grabbed Kuroko's chin, forcing the other boy to look up into his eyes. "Kurokocchi, I promise you. I won't do anything. I just need to talk to him."

A pair of blank blue eyes blinked twice before nodding. Heaving an inaudible sigh of relief, Kise didn't realize how tense his shoulders were until he felt them relaxing beside him. Kuroko took one last look over his shoulder before beckoning Kise closer towards the building. The shorter man reached into his pocket and pulled out a walkie-talkie. He pressed it close to his lips.

"Izuki-san, please relay this message to Hyuuga-san and Riko-san. Kise Ryouta from Kaijou has come over to talk. I repeat, Kise Ryouta has come over to talk."

There was a burst of static, and then another man's voice. "Are you sure this is safe, Kuroko? Over."

"It is safe. You can trust me."

"Alright, gotcha. And you keep forgetting to say over. Over." There was another burst of static as the connection was cut. Kise wondered who it was on the other end. He'd only ever seen them in passing, and knew none of them personally except Kuroko. And he'd only ever heard of one of them: Kiyoshi Teppei, the man that some people called 'Iron Heart'. Kise had no idea where the nickname came from, or even what it meant, but it sure sounded impressive. _Maybe one day they'll give me a nickname too! _He thought, allowing one carefree thought to slip into his mind before the doors of the warehouse opened.

The warehouse's interior was poorly lit, with only one functioning lamp dangling about ten feet above his head. It swayed to and fro dangerously, looking like even the slightest gust of wind could knock it from its rusted chain and come crashing to the ground. It took Kise's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, but when he did, he noticed that he and Kuroko weren't alone.

Sitting in the middle of a pile of firearms ranging from handguns to rifles was a young man that Kise had never seen before. He was picking up and examining every single weapon, turning it over in his hands and muttering something to himself. Kise couldn't really see his face due to the poor lighting, but even crouched on the ground, Kise could tell that he was very tall. He wore a plain but dirtied sleeveless white t-shirt that left no guesses as to how muscular he was. His dark red hair appeared vibrant in the dim lighting, like a campfire set in the middle of the night. Kise noticed a glint of silver near his throat, and realized that the man was wearing a ring tied on a string around his neck. This was definitely the new guy that his fellow gang members had been talking about. _Well, he sure looks impressive. But who knows, he might just be all bark and no bite. _

Kuroko was silent as always as he moved along the warehouse floor, his footstep so light it almost seemed like he was a phantom gliding across the wood. Kise, on the other end, set off a tremendous amount of creaking the second he attempted to take even one step forward. _Shoot. _The noise caused the man with the red hair to look up from his work. Now that his head was raised, Kise noticed that his eyes were the same color as his hair: a deep blood red. That combined with the rest of his appearance made him seem like a feral beast. _Almost like…_Kise caught himself before he could complete the thought. _What the heck am I doing, thinking about _him_ at this point? _He shook his head and instead focused on the man in front of him, who was appraising him like an enemy.

"Who the hell are you?"

Apparently redhead here hadn't gotten the memo about a visitor. Kise was about to introduce himself when Kuroko spoke up. "He's with me, Kagami-kun." The white haired boy was now standing by a wall, hand placed on one of the rotting wooden panels. The redhead-_Kagami, was it?_-looked up and yelped in surprise.

"Dammit Kuroko! Don't scare me like that!"

"I had no such intentions. We are going to go speak to Hyuuga-san. You should come too." Kuroko then beckoned for both of them to join him. As Kise strolled across the wooden floorboards, Kagami stood up and walked over so that the two were facing each other. Up close, Kise could tell that he really was tall. Maybe the same height as-_Damn, Kise! Pull yourself together! Stop thinking about that guy all the time! _He smiled and his golden eyes narrowed as he reached out a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Kise Ryouta."

"…Kagami. Kagami Taiga." The redhead grunted after a second, though Kise noticed that the other man didn't bother to return the handshake.

"Hmph, how rude! You could at least shake my hand! Don't leave me hanging!" Kise protested, pouting. Before Kagami had any time to make another comment, there was a sudden sliding sound from beside the two. Kise looked over and yelped in surprise when he saw one of the wooden panels opening to reveal a room behind the seemingly solid wall. Kuroko stood by the door, staring at the two as though wondering if they were going to move or not. Kise blinked a few times, trying to collect his thoughts. _Woah. Seiren really is clever. _A disguised entrance? Not bad at all for a rookie gang. He wondered who was brilliant enough to think up such a contraption. Maybe Hyuuga? Or that 'Iron Heart' fellow?

Knowing that he didn't have time to wonder about these things, Kise walked to the door and pushed by Kagami to get in. He could feel the other man stiffening in surprise at his strength and couldn't hide the smile that formed on his face. He'd always looked delicate, but he had a lot more power than most people would give him credit.

Beyond the disguised door, Kise found something that looked like a living room. A few couches and misshapen armchairs lay in the cluttered space, along with a miniature television and various framed photographs of nothing in particular. All the free space on the walls was a display case for guns. Kise almost felt as though he was walking through a showroom as he navigated the cramped space. He'd heard that Seiren was making a name for itself as an arms dealer, but he hadn't expected something so impressive. Even someone like him, who had only little to no understanding of guns, would be awed by the sight. He could hear the set of footsteps behind him slowing as they entered the room. Apparently, even the gang's newest member hadn't gotten used to the sight either. The thought made him smile.

Kuroko, still a good ten steps in front of Kise, turned a corner behind one of the couches and proceeded to go down a staircase. Kise hesitated when he saw the sight. _This place goes underground too? _Seiren was full of surprises, it seemed. Knowing that Kagami was right behind him, Kise grabbed the railing and hopped down the stairs two at a time. Instead of being greeted with a room or hallway at the bottom though, he found himself on a landing with a bolted steel door standing in front of him. A number pad along with a thumb print sensor sat near the door handle. Kise watched as Kuroko punched in a few digits, too fast for him to notice, and pressed his thumb onto the sensor. There were nine or ten loud clicks as the locks were removed. Kise watched the entire scene unfold with a sense of incredulity. _This place is about as well guarded as the prime minister's house! Seriously, what are they hiding in here? _He refused to believe that someone would pay for this advanced of a security system just to hide away its members. With each click of an unlocked bolt, Kise became more convinced of a fact: Seiren was definitely hiding something.

When the door was finally, fully unlocked, Kuroko passed through the entrance and into a hallway that looked like it could have been a part of a hospital. The floor was made entirely out of glass, and the walls were polished to an immaculate shine. He almost forgot that he was underground. Kuroko gestured to him to follow him down the hallway. As he walked, Kise noticed that each of the doors had the same pad and sensor equipped on it. He felt like he was in the middle of a spy movie or something. What the heck was up with this place? Kuroko finally stopped at one of the doors near the end of the hall. Kise could hear a pair of raised voices screaming at each other even through the heavy sheets of metal.

"You agreed to let that guy in?!"

"I don't see what the problem is! He just wanted to talk! And besides, we've got Kuroko and Kagami guarding him! And he hasn't made a move yet, has he?"

"That's not the point, stupid Hyuuga! He's seen the inside of this place! He knows what it's like! What if he goes back and starts blabbing about it to Kasa-whatshisname or something!?"

"Then let them know! It's not like they could break in here anyway! We've got a lot more than just a pass code and a sensor! You should know that Riko! You're the one who designed this place!"

_Wait a minute, did he just say Riko? _Kise's brow furrowed at the name. He'd heard it before…but where? Then it hit him in a flash. Back when he was still modeling, Kise had done a television commercial for a company called Aida Corp. that built state-of-the-art buildings and rooms for all sorts of purposes. The company had been making waves not only because of its popularity and high quality, but also because the owner's oldest daughter Riko was said to be one of the business' biggest assets. Was it that Riko that the leader of Seiren was talking to? _But what would the daughter of a businessman be doing in a gang? _

Before he could wonder any more, Kuroko knocked on the door and the voices fell silent. After a moment, there was a single click and the door opened by itself. Kise stuck his head in and found a clean and meticulously ordered office with filing cabinets, bookshelves and neatly stacked papers and empty cardboard boxes. Though the room itself was pretty big, it was made smaller by the fact that there were already four people occupying the space. A man with spiky black hair and glasses sat in a green armchair behind the table, hands folded. Two other men sat in chairs to the right. One was a brunette with alert brown eyes and a rather blank expression, as though he didn't really know what was going on. The other was a black haired man with angled features and a mischievous smile dancing around on his lips. There was one more person in the room, a girl with dark brown chin length hair and a boyish build. Kise had never seen the Riko Aida of Aida Corporation, but he'd heard she was an extraordinary beauty with green eyes and dyed blonde hair. He breathed a sigh of relief and shook his head. Of course. There were hundreds and thousands of Rikos in Japan. He should think twice before going off on tangents.

Four pairs of keen eyes landed on Kise as he walked in and nodded towards each of them in turn. Kuroko and Kagami slipped in behind him and took up positions in two of the remaining seats on the left side of the room. That left him standing there, front and center.

Hyuuga pushed his glasses up his nose and leaned in. His eyes flickered all over Kise, no doubt looking for some sort of weapon. Finding none, he huffed and asked, "Kise Ryouta, right?"

"That's me!" Kise beamed, happy that someone knew his name.

"If I'm correct in understanding, you know Kuroko?" Hyuuga nodded towards the younger man.

"Yep! Kurokocchi's my best friend!"

"Kurokoc-?" Hyuuga frowned and immediately spun towards his right, looking for confirmation. "Kuroko, is this true?"

"No. It is only a one-sided feeling." Kuroko responded, keeping his gaze on the ground. Kise gasped, suddenly feeling like he'd been betrayed.

"Kurokocchi! How could you say such a thing? Uwah, you're so mean~! And here I thought I could trust you!" He felt tears starting to brim in his eyes. How could Kuroko be so mean to him? _Aren't we best friends? _Then he realized that maybe the other boy was just denying it in front of his fellow gang members. Yes, that must be the reason! There was no way that Kuroko wasn't his best friend.

"…Is this guy really a part of Kaijou?" Hyuuga asked, turning towards Riko, who was standing right next to him.

The brunette shrugged her slim shoulders and blew a few bangs out of her face. "Who knows? We've got a couple airheads as well." She pointed out, nodding towards the other brunette in the room. He must have noticed the gesture, because the distant look in his eyes faded and he snapped to attention. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Nothing Kiyoshi." Riko replied with a gusty sigh. "I was just thinking we should change your nickname from 'Iron Heart' to 'Air Head'."

_Hold up, did she just say Iron Heart? _Kise spun around and stared at the boy sitting a few paces away, his amber eyes blinking in rapid succession. He was expecting someone totally different. Maybe more like Kagami, with a buff build and a threatening demeanor to match. This guy, with his air of serenity and easy going smile, seemed to be the exact opposite of the rumors that were whispered in the alleys at night. There was no way this guy could be the 'Iron Heart' of the legends.

He didn't have long to think about it though, because Hyuuga snorted and turned his attention back to Kise. "Alright, Kise. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Aw, that's not a very nice way to ask someone…"

"Cut the crap. You better tell me now, pretty boy, before your ass gets thrown out the door."

_Is it just me, or is he getting angrier by the second? Man, I can see the veins popping up in his head. _Kise fidgeted, feeling the air around Hyuuga growing darker. "Fine, I'll tell you."

The room seemed to lean in towards him as he prepared his thoughts. The mischievous light in his eyes faded out and the smile on his lips dwindled to nothing more than a serious line. "I'm sure you guys already know, but there's been quite a few err…grisly murders around here lately."

"We know." Hyuuga raised an eyebrow. "What's your point?"

"Just four days ago, Touou found a body on their territory. So far, almost all the major gangs have been targeted: Rakuzan, Yosen, Touou, Shuutoku, and the like. Everyone's in a state of war now. Well, everyone except us." Kise leaned backwards against the wall. "Kaijou and Seiren are the only gangs that haven't had these murders occurring on their streets. But all of us know that once we find that body, we'll be at war with whoever's doing this. You all know the code well: Once foreign blood is spilled on claimed territory, the gangs involved must fight one another."

Hyuuga cut in once again, his voice as cold as ice. "You're right about that. But that doesn't address why you're here. I doubt you came all the way here just to warn us about something we already know about." But Kise could tell from the slight hesitation in the leader's voice that it was something that he had never bothered to think about until now.

"Heh, you got me there. My boss Kasamatsu sent me here to ask for something: an alliance."

The room rustled with noise as all the members of Seiren started whispering to one another in surprise. Kise watched as eyebrows were raised, thoughts were voiced out loud to the people beside them, and skepticisms were thrown about. Riko fidgeted anxiously where she stood, but through all of it, Hyuuga remained as sullen and silent as always. The moment he opened his mouth to speak, the rest of the room stood still.

"No."

"No?" Now it was Kise's turn to raise his eyebrow. "Are you sure? You might want to think this over."

"I don't need any goddamn time to think it over. My answer is no. I can't trust you guys. I don't know what you're trying to pull. There's a possibility that you're actually the ones pulling off this series of antics. And even if you aren't, I don't have any intention of getting involved with you. Seiren has always stood alone." He spun his chair around and muttered something in Riko's ear. She nodded. He then turned back to everyone else. "Kuroko, get this guy out of my sight. The rest of you can leave. Except you, Teppei. I want you to stay for a bit."

On command, most of the men in the room stood up and made their way to the door. Kise stood aside to let them through, a renewed smirk playing on his lips. He was careful to make sure that neither Hyuuga nor Riko saw it. Being rejected was a bit disappointing, but he'd been fully prepared for it. In fact, it was almost favorable to Kaijou that Seiren had rejected. He remembered Kasamatsu's words very clearly. There was nothing to worry about. A rejection simply meant another course of action different from the one that was originally planned.

He felt a hand tap him on the shoulder and looked down to see Kuroko staring up at him. The other man gestured towards the door before wordlessly moving towards it. Kise took one last look over his shoulder before following him. The room was all but empty now. The only people left were Hyuuga, still sitting behind his desk and glaring at Kise. Riko stood behind his chair, hands folded behind her back, eyes flickering across the room and an unreadable expression on her face. Kiyoshi had made his way over to the other two and was standing directly beside Hyuuga's chair. Most of his body was blocked by the desk, so Kise couldn't tell exactly what he was doing. His eyes though, betrayed just the slightest hint of worry and also suspicion. He almost wanted to stay to see what would happen, but he knew he had to get out of here before Hyuuga physically threw him out.

Kuroko led him back up the steps in silence, and for once, Kise really had nothing to say either. When they finally reached the entrance, Kuroko opened the door for him and gave him a nod. Though the shorter man's face was characteristically blank, Kise noticed just the tiniest hints of trouble in his expression. His eyebrows furrowed for a fraction of a second, and he unconsciously fidgeted with his hands. It seemed like all of Seiren was on edge right now. Kise smirked to himself, knowing that his words had been the cause. Knowing that he'd have to play the part of the fool as usual, Kise threw an arm over Kuroko's shoulder.

"Seriously, Kurokocchi, come back with me to Kaijou! We could totally use you!"

"No."

"Waah, I keep getting dumped today! Jeez Kurokocchi, you're so mean!"

"Kise-kun…please leave. Hyuuga-san may get very angry if you stay around longer." Kuroko's face was the picture of seriousness, and Kise had to concede that the other man really did take his job seriously. Maybe a little too seriously.

"Alright, alright, I'm getting out of here. See you later, Kurokocchi!" Kise gave a little wave before prancing out of the warehouse and to his motorcycle parked near the curb. Maybe he shouldn't be so cheerful, but even with the rejection, he felt that the cards were still playing in Kaijou's favor. There was no way that anything could possibly go wrong. Not with Kasamatsu's advice and well…that.

He slipped his bike helmet over his head and secured it in place before unlocking the engine and stepping on the gas petal. As the vehicle zoomed forward, Kise took one last look over his shoulder at the warehouse. A familiar shock of white blue hair stood near the rotting doors, watching him leave. Finally free to release his smile, Kise smirked with glee and turned back to concentrate on the road ahead. He had barely navigated his way through four streets when he suddenly heard the sound of wheels creaking over the roar of the engine. He slowed down slightly, curious to see what was coming.

Through the tinted black glass of his helmet, Kise saw a strange looking vehicle slowly making its way down the street. _Wait a second, is that a rickshaw? _He blinked in disbelief, watching as the bike with the cart behind it slowly made its way down the opposite lane from the one he travelled on. The man pedaling the bike passed by Kise, barely sparing him a glance. Kise's golden flecked gaze passed over him too, but stopped in shock when he saw a very familiar figure sitting in the cart. There was no mistaking that green hair. _Midorimacchi…_

**Author's Note: **So, life happened and I was overwhelmed with papers and essays and Moot Court work. I feel really bad for leaving you guys hanging, and I also feel bad for making a really shitty chapter, but right now my mind is just completely dead and I don't know what to write. I promise something good will happen in the next chapter or so. Oh yes, very subtle AoKise for all of you in this chapter. Expect an update sometime next week. I'll try not to be too long. Thank you for reading!


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